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E-Line Carbon/Kevlar skid plate for the 2006

By Blaster21996,
in YZ400F/426F/450F/450FX

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Grand Master

Blaster21996

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I love the way it looks ? But I bought the works skid plate. No problems there but for what you paid I would definatly be PO'ed :confused: I'd call and just ask at least.

Ya know, I don't know about businesses today, all the money they spend in print ads, and INTERNET ads and web site costs, all that money, then when you have a problem with there service or product they forget how bad they need your trade.

When I ordered this skid plate on there web site, I purchased 3 day priority shipping to make sure I would have it in time for an upcoming event. After 8 days I sent them an e-mail on a Monday. On Tuesday day I got a response. "It will be shipping on the following Thursday" thats it! no apology, nothing.

Then when I finally receive it, it does not fit! ? Today I called and spoke to a woman that said there was a problem with the first few manufactured, and she said I should ship mine back, and she would ship me a new one. I waited 3 weeks for my wrong one, now I am to wait another 3 weeks for the correct one? NO. She just slammed me on hold and Kevin, then came on the line, he said "doesn't sound like we can make you happy, so, ship your skid plate back, and I will refund your money" The tone of his voice reminded me of the old saying "sometimes you feed your family, and sometimes you feed your ego" he was definitely feeding his ego!

After I explained my position to him, I would rather have a skid plate that fit, then getting a refund, he finally realized what I was after. I did not want to wait for him to receive my returned skid plate before he shipped the fixed one.

Sometimes you have to make these companies keep your darn money! :bonk:

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T H O R

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Ewww. Looks ugly anyways, send it back and get your money back. Buy the GYTR skid plate.

A lot cheaper too! : http://www.yamaha-motor.com/sport/products/modelscitemdetail/5/209/1218/5376/2006/1/6569/0/0/detail.aspx

If you want a wide one for enduro: http://www.yamaha-motor.com/sport/products/modelscitemdetail/5/209/1218/5376/2006/1/6570/0/0/detail.aspx

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Grand Master

joshb

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Ya know, I don't know about businesses today, all the money they spend in print ads, and INTERNET ads and web site costs, all that money, then when you have a problem with there service or product they forget how bad they need your trade.

When I ordered this skid plate on there web site, I purchased 3 day priority shipping to make sure I would have it in time for an upcoming event. After 8 days I sent them an e-mail on a Monday. On Tuesday day I got a response. "It will be shipping on the following Thursday" thats it! no apology, nothing.

Then when I finally receive it, it does not fit! ? Today I called and spoke to a woman that said there was a problem with the first few manufactured, and she said I should ship mine back, and she would ship me a new one. I waited 3 weeks for my wrong one, now I am to wait another 3 weeks for the correct one? NO. She just slammed me on hold and Kevin, then came on the line, he said "doesn't sound like we can make you happy, so, ship your skid plate back, and I will refund your money" The tone of his voice reminded me of the old saying "sometimes you feed your family, and sometimes you feed your ego" he was definitely feeding his ego!

After I explained my position to him, I would rather have a skid plate that fit, then getting a refund, he finally realized what I was after. I did not want to wait for him to receive my returned skid plate before he shipped the fixed one.

Sometimes you have to make these companies keep your darn money! ?

That's why you don't order directly from companies like that. Use mailorders like motosport.com or btosport.com

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KTMKarl

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Sorry you had a bad experience but I can't imagine why it couldn't fit with some "massaging". I'm a mechanic so I often overlook the importance of a product being an absolute "no brainer" bolt-on. I have ran into VERY few products in the aftermarket that fit this bill. As far as customer service, all i can say is they have always been very honest with me and helped me out as well as can be expected. My parts supplier has been in touch with them for months now and they have been very honest about shipping dates ect.. much to my dismay as i have been in want of the plate for quite a while now.

Why carbon fiber????? Uhh I assume folks who ask this question have never rode with a composite plate. I'm also a racer so my needs are a little different than most but when it comes to getting over logs, rocks cased jumps ect.. IN A HURRY. NOTHING beats a composite plate. I will gladly go to bat for the E-line plates durability it CAN handle a hit and the biggest plus is the low amount of friction the material creates when in use. Once you ride with a composite plate you'll likely never want to go back. I know I don't.

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Grand Master

Blaster21996

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Sorry you had a bad experience but I can't imagine why it couldn't fit with some "massaging". I'm a mechanic so I often overlook the importance of a product being an absolute "no brainer" bolt-on. I have ran into VERY few products in the aftermarket that fit this bill. As far as customer service, all i can say is they have always been very honest with me and helped me out as well as can be expected. My parts supplier has been in touch with them for months now and they have been very honest about shipping dates ect.. much to my dismay as i have been in want of the plate for quite a while now.

Why carbon fiber????? Uhh I assume folks who ask this question have never rode with a composite plate. I'm also a racer so my needs are a little different than most but when it comes to getting over logs, rocks cased jumps ect.. IN A HURRY. NOTHING beats a composite plate. I will gladly go to bat for the E-line plates durability it CAN handle a hit and the biggest plus is the low amount of friction the material creates when in use. Once you ride with a composite plate you'll likely never want to go back. I know I don't.

Yea, I hear you. I can make it fit with longer bolts, but, for one, I shouldn't have to for 159.00+shipping. and two, even mounted with longer bolts there is irregular dimensions everywhere.

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kpflyingv

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I bought a set of their carbon frame guards for my 06, The left side fit, the right was not even close. I cut the rear brake guard section off and bolted it up and trashed the rest. I didn't call them. They should have known their stuff was crap before they advertised the product. It would be a waste of my time to call them and argue, or to spend the shipping costs to return them, because they would not have replaced them anyway. Sometimes companies just suck at quality and service. ELine will never get another dime of mine. On the other hand, I have ordered parts from companies that have far exceeded my expectations, thus I will always put my money in their pocket.

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  • 2 weeks later...
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KTMKarl

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I wasn't able to Totally stand up for E-line since I had not mounted my plate yet, I hadn't had time to even get to the shop to pick it up nonetheless get it mounted. I did get it through a friend last night and yes it was one of the first batch so I was a little apprehensive about getting it mounted up with all the "flames" I have read concerning the piece.

Now 10 minutes later it is securely mounted to the bike!!!! I can't hardely imagine how they could make the piece any slicker? No instructions came with it so I tugged my ear once slipped a longer than supplied bolt in the rear mount to get it lined up, gave the front of the plate a wack with my open palm to seat it against the frame rails in the front, started a longer bolt in one of the front holes and then installed the remaining fasteners while pulling out the longer bolts. 1 hole took aprox. 1/8 inch of grind with a small die maybe 10 seconds? Not tough at all.

I don't like that they left a gap at the top of the front section of plate but all the manufacturers have. Presumably for cooling air flow? Plus the plate could come farther around the water spigot without offending me. I'll be making captive spacers for mine just so I don't have to fiddle with the spacers flopping around when I spin em off every weekend but it aint not rocket science, tape would work plenty well. Still WAY more easy to R&R than any of the other plates I have seen. which is very important to me with my riding schedule, bike maintenance eats up too much of my time allready I need things to be quick and easy.

All in all its one more slick and functional piece from E-line. Just more proof in my book that you have to take every flame you read with a grain of salt.

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Grand Master

Blaster21996

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I wasn't able to Totally stand up for E-line since I had not mounted my plate yet, I hadn't had time to even get to the shop to pick it up nonetheless get it mounted. I did get it through a friend last night and yes it was one of the first batch so I was a little apprehensive about getting it mounted up with all the "flames" I have read concerning the piece.

Now 10 minutes later it is securely mounted to the bike!!!! I can't hardely imagine how they could make the piece any slicker? No instructions came with it so I tugged my ear once slipped a longer than supplied bolt in the rear mount to get it lined up, gave the front of the plate a wack with my open palm to seat it against the frame rails in the front, started a longer bolt in one of the front holes and then installed the remaining fasteners while pulling out the longer bolts. 1 hole took aprox. 1/8 inch of grind with a small die maybe 10 seconds? Not tough at all.

I don't like that they left a gap at the top of the front section of plate but all the manufacturers have. Presumably for cooling air flow? Plus the plate could come farther around the water spigot without offending me. I'll be making captive spacers for mine just so I don't have to fiddle with the spacers flopping around when I spin em off every weekend but it aint not rocket science, tape would work plenty well. Still WAY more easy to R&R than any of the other plates I have seen. which is very important to me with my riding schedule, bike maintenance eats up too much of my time allready I need things to be quick and easy.

All in all its one more slick and functional piece from E-line. Just more proof in my book that you have to take every flame you read with a grain of salt.

I do agree about taking things with a grain of salt, however, in this case, I STAND BY MY REVIEW of this skid.

I did receive a replacement one from e-line and immediately tried to install it, but, it was just as bad as the first one! The fit was completely unacceptable for a very expensive skid plate ($160.00). To top it all of the bolts supplied were to short. For $160.00 I should not have any issue. PERIOD! Had I paid $65.00, the price I paid for the CF skid on my 05 WR450F then I would not be as demanding. But, there is absolutely no reason to accept poor quality at that price!

ps: Your support of this product is HIGHLY suspicious! :crazy:

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KTMKarl

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I think your overlooking part of the install, at first glance mine appeared to have the holes in the wrong places ect.. however once the rear mount was lined up and I smacked the front of the plate she lined up very near perfectly, much closer than you would expect for a mass produced part, make that mass produced aftermarket part for a mass produced motorcycle. I spoke with another buddy of mine who basically stopped with his install the other day and he issued the same concern as you initially but once he got down and dirty with the install he saw the light. I hate to question anyones mechanical abilitys BUT.....(thats an inside joke my buddy I referred to is a master machinist which means he couldn't fix his way out of a wet paper sack without a blue print and access to a CNC device! At least thats what I tell him!)

For the price????? Come on everybody knows you just can't put a price on trick! LOL

Fact is NOBODY else is making a composite plate for the US market so if a person has already been spoiled to slick frame rails E-line is the only show in town.

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KTMKarl

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PS: nobody at E-lines pays me or even knows me! In fact if they did they would probably pay me NOT to endorse their products! LOL I have had to deal with them several times though and they were SUPER great working with me when I was trying to get set-up for the LMS race last year and needed lights ect.. at the last minute. I couldn't have asked for better service. Plus who else makes the stuff? Trust me it aint as simple as it seems to get everything working together they have got an uphill fight just like all the aftermrket manufacturers.

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